Spring-support for buggy-tops



( No Model.)

s. BOUGIE. SPRING SUPPORT FOR BUGGY TOPS. No. 502,606. Patented Aug. 1,1893.

a'vwawl oz SW43? E) mw+ NITED STATES.

PATENT OF ICE.

STEPHEN BOUGIE, OF MARINETTE, IVISOONSIN.

SPRING-SUPPORT FOR BUGGY-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,606, dated August1, 1893. Application filed February 27, 1893. Serial 110.463.932. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN BOUGIE, a cit1-. zen of the United States,residing at Marinette, in the county of Marinette and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful; Improvements inSpring-Supports for Buggy-' Tops; and I do hereby declare the followingto bea full, clear, and exact description of the; invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to improvements in supports for buggy tops, and itconsists of certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In thesupport or prop most commonly in use for supporting the tops ofbuggies when folded down, there is a tendency for the rear bow of thebuggy top to buckle or bend, owing to the narrowness of the supporttherefor, and at the same time there is a tendency for the folded top toshake up and down over said support to the injury of the lower bow, andthe general wear and tear on the buggytop. Also, as the prop issometimes attached to the back of the seat, the blow caused by foldingthe top, and the jarring over rough roads, is frequently the cause ofcracking and splitting the back of the seat, or bending and breaking therail, according to which way the prop is attached to the seat. Myinvention is intended to obviate these defects by providing a broadsupport for the rear bow when down, and an automatic gripping device forholding the said bow and the superimposed parts against vertical orlateral vibrations. The severity of the blows to which the prop and seatare subjected is materially reduced by the action of the springs.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the samelettersthroughout the several Views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a part of a buggy fitted with myimproved device. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the combinedsupport and holder. Fig. 3 represents a section of Fig. 2, along theline m ocof the said figure. Fig. 4 represents a section of the deviceshown in Fig. 2, along the line y 'y of the said figure, the bolt 0being shown in place.

A represents the side of the buggy seat, and B represents the buggy-top,provided with bows b, b, and b pivoted at 193 as shown in Fig. 1.

v 0 represents the bent metal piece curved up to the pivot b andprovided near its end with a square bolt 0, having'a collar 0, and screwthreads 0 on which latter. the nut C is secured.

D represents the holding rod for keeping the buggy-top up, which isconnected to the buggy-top in the usual way, and the lower end of whichis pivoted on the said collar 0', being held thereon by the said nut O.

E represents a metal plate or casting which is provided with arectangular slot 6 therein, and arms 6 which latter rest partly on thesides of the box of the buggy. Mounted over these arms 6 is the spring Ehaving wings e and flat central portion 6 Over this flat centralportion, 6 a holding and stiffening plate E is mounted, and secured tothe upper portion of this is a holding device E This consists of twocurved springs, or preferably one spring curved at e and e as shown, andhaving outward flaring lips 6 and flat base 6 which is connected to theplate E by screws 6 The plates E and E and the spring E are clampedtogether by the bolts 6 and nuts e".

The operation of the device is as follows: As the buggy-top is lowered,the rear bow b is guided by the lips 6 into the enlarged space betweenthe curves 8 and e of the holding spring E Here the bow is held againstvibrations upward or laterally. The weight of the buggy-top is supportedon the wings e of the spring E which furnish a broad support for thelower bow, and the weight of the top resting thereon, and thus the bowis given a strong but yielding support. Owing to the fact that thesprings E and E yield to sudden jars or jolts the device is peculiarlyadapted for supporting and holding the buggy-top when down, withoutinjuring the bow on which the principal weight of the said topordinarily falls.

Having thus described my invention, what I00 I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In a folding top buggy, a yielding device for supporting andsteadying the top when lowered, comprising a spring projecting upwardfrom the side of the buggy, and a resilient holding device mounted abovesaid spring, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a folding-top buggy, a yielding device for supporting andsteadying the top when lowered, comprising the spring E secured to theside of the buggy and provided with wings c and a resilient holdingdevice mounted transversely over said spring and between said wings,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a folding top buggy, a yielding device for supporting andsteadying the top when lowered, comprising a spring projecting upwardfrom the side of the buggy and adapted to bear beneath the bows of thetop and a spring clutch adapted to engage the lower bow and to hold itfirmly but to yield to jars or jolts, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

4:. In a folding top buggy, a yielding device for supporting andsteadying the top when lowered comprising the spring E secured to theside of the buggy and provided with wings e and the spring clutch Emounted over said spring E and between said wings e the said clutch Ebeing provided with resilient upwardly projecting arms flaring outwardas at e and curved as at e and e to form a holder for the rear bow ofthe buggy top, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The device for supporting the rear bow of a folding buggy top whenlowered, comprising the arm e projecting from the buggy, the plate E,the spring E having wings 6 the holding plate E and the spring clutch Esubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN BOUGIE. Witnesses:

AMos HOLGAIE, HATTIE E. TAYLOR.

